Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-04
IRRIGATION IN VALLEY AND FOOT
HILLS

The last Legislature passed law au-
thorizing the formation of irrigation dis
tricts. Under that Act steps are being
taken to organize district on the west
side of the Sacramento river to carry water
where needed between Suisun bay and the
northern part of Colusa. 1t will be based
upon plans for canal as surveyed in
1884, and which will take It's water in part
from the surplus of the Sacramento river,
and in part from Stony and from other
creeks rising in the Coast range. On the by
pothesis that no such taking will be so car
ried out as to injure the river and the as
surance that the projectors do not contem-
plate any action that would affect the nav
liability of the stream, the scheme be-
comes one of the highest Importance, and
is pregnant with great results for one Of
the richest divisions of the great Sacra-
mento valley. In discussing the measure
some two years ago the feeling of many
was that too heavy draught might be
made upon the river, and all objections to
1t were accompanied by the reservation
that the plan was advisable if it would not
do injury to the stream. This is now
pretty well settled The low-water stage
in the river does not, say the engineers,
set in until time when there is little or
no demand for water for irrigation Such
as would then be taken, it is now estab-
lished, would have no material influence
upon the stream, more than the taking by
this city for domestic purposes To put
water upon the section referred to will
create property values in excess of present
values-probably S9O,OO0,0OO. This addi-
tion to property wealth outweighs the cost
of the canals and their maintenance so
greatly, that absolutely it cuts no figure.
The benefits to flow to the valley from this
improvement would compensate for any
outlay possible to the scheme. The work
will give to all the section affected popu-
lation and wealth probably greater than
that of any six counties of Northern Cali
fornia aggregated The construction of the
work will, very soon after its completion,
give to the district the ability to build re-
seryoirs and store water for abnormally dry
seasons, and thus the streams upon which
the irrigation will be dependent can be
fortified by a reserve of storage. A canvass
of the district is now being made by what
is known as the Maxwell committee, upon
the showing that for every dollar of cost
per acre there will be immediate enhance
ment of values many fold. The time is
ripe for bringing every acre of land in the
valley to its highest possibility of produc-
ton, and to test the capacity of the valley
for population. Under the fertilizing in
auences Of water upon the lands there will
be invited to them the very class of pro-
ducing population we most need. Irriga-
ton for the valley will do far more for it
than it has done in the south, or in our
own foothills. 1t viii put thousands of
people where there are now but hundreds;
it will augment production and consump-
ton to a degree that win build up the
towns and cities of the interior with mar
vicious rapidity and upon stable basis.
We have, with lost waters that now annu-
ally flow over into our basins from rivers,
creeks and coast mountain streams, the
ability to bring every acre Of valley land
to high state of cultivation far in excess
of anything at present known, for all the
ether Influences are favorable, and only
water artifcially applied is now needed.
With US this need is not and never can be
so great as in Southern California. We
have guarantee of rainfall rot enjoyed
there; a total failure of crops with us is
unknown; the development thus far had
has been without irrigation to any large
,extent. What then, under these condi-
tions, will it be with water brought to the
land2 1t is believed the cost of the valley
irrigation scheme will be about 81 so per
probably an excessive estimate. But
even at that, it is bagatelle of outlay
compared to the beneficial results that
must fow, and Of which Sacramento viii
have en exceeding large share. With
water where needed in the valley, water
already supplied in the foothills. and new
schemes en- foot to multiply the supply.
and with carrying bitches and canals north
of the American river, we have reason to
look forward 20 "boom" for the Sacra-
mento valley chat viii put it upon the
topnlost wave d prosperity, and open the
eyes Of the world 70 the truth of the long
presented claims Of all this section more
than any other means we can